Halloween Hiking & Wild Animal Encounter at Dauset Trails Nature Center - Sat, Oct 31 2009

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.



Halloween Hiking & Wild Animal Encounter at Dauset Trails Nature Center


The Basics:
Event Type:Adventure
Event Location: About 1 hour S of Atlanta near Indian Springs State Park & I-75
Date(s) & Time:Sat, Oct 31 2009  11:00 am >> N/A
Registration Opens: Thu, Oct 15 2009 9:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Fri, Oct 30 2009 9:00 pm
Event Duration:6 Hours w/Option to stay for
Difficulty Rating:D2: Easy to Moderate
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:16
Minimum Group Size:4
Number Registered So Far: 11 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:
DAUSET TRAILS NATURE CENTER is a beautiful 1200-acre privately endowed nature preserve about an hour south of Atlanta—a perfect spot for a Halloween Day AOC adventure!  This will be a "Rain or Shine AOC Event" due to our ease of access to the excellent covered facilities and to our nearby vehicles in the event of a serious storm. 
  Dauset Trails adjoins Indian Springs State Park near Jackson, GA—see detailed directions below.  Its friendly rangers and staff manage the Nature Center's numerous attractions including an amazing network of hiking/biking trails, a wild animal trail, a 2-story visitor center & museum, fishing & boating lakes, botanical gardens, and an old-style farm.  All of the above are totally free of charge to the general public including free parking!

HIKE PLAN:   After meeting at 11:00 AM at the Visitor Center we'll take a brief walk through the Museum, then set out on the network of scenic wooded trails with only moderate ascents and descents—no more than about 8 total miles of hiking are planned for our group, broken into several short segments with a "social/rest break" between each. We'll begin on the free 10-acre "wild animal trail" which boasts dozens of species of GA's native mammals, birds, reptiles and fish in a forested lakeside setting.  On display are bears, mountain lions, bobcats, bison, deer, otters, alligators, most of GA's major birds of prey, huge carp, turtles and more.

LAKESIDE PICNIC LUNCH:  At about 12:30 PM we'll plan to stop to enjoy lunch from our daypacks in the lakeside pavilion in the Dauset Trails camping area.  If you have an item that is suitable for sharing with others (e.g., trail mix, fruit items, etc.) please do so.  Potable water and restroom facilities are available at the pavilion.  By the way, the AOC often enjoys Dauset Trails camping trips here which include free use the Nature Center's canoes & kayaks and use of the nice pavilion for cooking and serving our group meals, etc! 

ORIENTEERING HIKE BONUS!   Coincidentally, our friends in the GA Orienteering Club are hosting an "O Meet" at Dauset Trails on Halloween (Sat Oct 31) afternoon and evening, and we members of the general public are encouraged to take part.  As part of our hike itinerary we'll give our AOC group a free introduction to the sport (about 3:00-4:00 PM) by "wayfaring" together on their "Yellow" advanced-beginner course.  This should also be fun for those of us who're already into the sport.  We'll include a review of the basics of how to use a topo map and compass.  Those parties in our AOC group who decide to stick around for more fun are welcome to register for the GAOC's "Full Moon Night Orienteering" event which begins about 6:30 PM.  There's about an $8 fee for your nice color topo map for this.  For more on the GAOC and their excellent nonprofit sport and public education programs go to www.GAOrienteering.org.

  OPTIONAL 5:30 PM "POTLUCK COOKOUT"  Our GA Orienteering Club friends have also invited us to take part in their 5:30 PM "Potluck Cookout" at a nice covered pavilion by a beautiful lake.  If you'd like to take part in the cookout, bring (in a small cooler, perhaps) a compact item to put on the grill and a small side item (munchie, salad, veggie, dessert, etc.) to share.

FOR MORE INFO on DAUSET TRAILS NATURE CENTER:  Visit their official website at www.DausetTrails.com and for a detailed topographic color trail map go to http://dausettrails.com/DT-2002b1.pdf.

Required Items to Bring:

• Wear comfortable well-broken-in Hiking Boots or Athletic Shoes with coarse tread.
• Since it's Halloween, let's get in the spirit by wearing something "Halloween Colored" (e.g., orange, black, etc.) or even a costume if you prefer! -- but think Safety and avoid anything that might impair your hiking or vision.
• Day Pack or Fannie Pack with about 1 Quart of Water (in hydration system or bottles)
• Lunch/Snack Items of your choice in your pack.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

• Trekking Poles if you have a pair and like to use them (or a hiking stick),
• Camera
• Compass if you already have one
• For optional 5:30 PM "Potluck Cookout": Something compact for grilling + small side item


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

From ATLANTA to DAUSET TRAILS NATURE CENTER
–The Nature Center is about 45 miles (~45 minutes) from the I-75/I-285 interchange on Atlanta's south side.
IMPORTANT: Please ignore the DausetTrails.com online directions and instead use these directions which give the precise mileage of each driving leg.
Rezero your odometer at each instruction and pay close attention to mileages given and driven.

1) From the southside I-75/ I-285 Interchange (near the Atlanta Airport) take I-75 South toward Macon and go about 33 miles to Exit #201. (Shortcut if you live on Atlanta’s east side: Consider taking I-675 southward from I-285 Exit #52 east of town to I-75 Exit #227, then drive just 26 miles south on I-75 to Exit #201.)

2) Get off I-75 at Exit #201 (GA-36 “Jackson/ Barnesville”).

3) Turn Left over the bridge onto Hwy 36 East and go about 3.1 miles (toward Jackson, GA).

4) Turn Right onto High Falls Road and go about 2.5 miles.

5) Turn Left onto Mt Vernon Church Rd (also known as Mt. Vernon Rd) and go about 3.1 miles to the Dauset Trails Nature Center gated entrance on your Left.

6) Turn Left into the Center and proceed about 1/2 mile to the free parking area adjoining the Visitor Center/ Museum building.

7) We'll gather at 11:00 AM on the Front Porch of the Visitor Center


Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

Free Event with Free Parking!


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.